Spicy Butternut Squash

Here is another recipe from The Indian Slow Cooker by Anupy Singla. It's an interesting and very different way to make butternut squash and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Once again, it's a spicy recipe, so hold back on the quantities if it's too much for you. I did already reduce the spices, but it might be a little too much for some palates. Hope you like it...

Spicy Butternut Squash

2 tbsp oil
2 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
1 onion, chopped
1 tomato, finely chopped
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into pieces
2 chilies, chopped
2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt to taste

Heat the oil in a pan, when hot, add the fenugreek and cumin seeds, the cardamom and cinnamon stick. Cook till they start to sizzle, stirring frequently, about 1 minute. When it starts to smell fragrant, add the onion and cook till the onion starts to brown. Next put in the tomato, turmeric and coriander powders. Stir in well and cook for a few minutes. In the mean time, chop up the butternut squash and place it in the slow cooker. Mix in the cooked onion and spices into the squash and add ½ cup of water. Cook on low for 4 hours, stirring once or twice.

When it’s done, add in the chopped green chilies, the brown sugar, garam masala and chili powder. Cook on high for ½ hour or so. If you want to dry out the liquid that the squash has released, leave the slow cooker open for the last 20 minutes of cooking. Serve hot with chapatti.

Notes:

*Cooking the green chilies and garam masala at the end will mellow the spices a little. Ms. Anupy Singla mixes these in and serves immediately; however, I prefer to have these spices cooked so as to reduce the harshness in its flavor.